INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Transportation announced new details on a major project to ease congestion and improve safety around Interstate 465 and Interstate 69 on the northeast side of Indianapolis.
The interchange itself is considered one of the state's busiest — with nearly 100,000 drivers traveling through every day.
"The commute is getting pretty nasty in the mornings and at night," said INDOT spokesperson Mallory Duncan. "So we're working to fix that and improve safety in the area."
The project, called Clear Path 465, has been in the works for nearly a decade. In June, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a $70 million grant to help pay for the improvements which will include the following improvements:
- Added travel lanes
- New ramp lanes
- 14 new bridges
- Two rehabilitated bridges
- Interchange modifications
Details and timeline
The first contract will rebuild and add lanes to 4.5 miles of I-465 from the White River to Fall Creek.
The second contract is expected to begin construction in 2023 to reconfigure the interchange at I-465 and I-69. New ramps will provide direct movements from eastbound I-465 and northbound I-465 to northbound I-69.
Binford Boulevard will also be reconstructed to separate local traffic from traffic entering and exiting I-69 and I-465. During construction, Duncan said three ramps will close:
- Allisonville Road on-ramp to I-465 east
- Binford Boulevard ramp to I-465 west
- Shadeland Avenue/56th Street ramp to 4-65 north
According to INDOT, construction is expected to begin in early 2022 with improvements open to traffic by the end of 2025.
"The project will transform one of the state’s busiest interchanges with high-speed, high-capacity ramps for I-465 and I-69 that reduce traffic weaving and merging," Duncan said.
Click here or watch below to see a virtual fly-through, which shows what the interstates and interchange will look like when the project is finished.